Israel won me over (sort of)

If you read my preview review about Israel, you might have been perceptive enough to realise it's not one of my favourites of the year. It's still no fave but I am definitely warming to it.

Already then, I had decided not to be annoyed or a sore loser would it make it to the final. Israel has flunked in the semi four years in a row and would deserve some happiness.

The Golden Boy himself is very young but confident and in good voice. Let him have the success.

But in all fairness something about the song itself really annoyed me. The tempo changes. Some of that same clumsiness in the lyrics that probably contributed to Israel's downfall last year. The feeling that the whole thing didn't sound trustworthy coming from a performer this young.

Seemingly the Eurovision brainwash did what it is supposed to do and by now it doesn't annoy me anymore. I can sing along and clap along and enjoy these three minutes even if they are silly.

I don't think we will be going to Jerusalem next year or anything, but at least I can cross my fingers for Israel to make it to the final. And mean it.

Denmark and the bad surprise

When I wrote my preview review I was pretty convinced Denmark would dance into the final with ease, just thanks to being catchy, happy and easily accessible. By now I start to realise I'm pretty alone in assuming that.

Not that I don't really care what others predict - I prefer clinging to my own conclusions - but let's just say I'm amused that everybody suddenly grew tired of this ever-smiling Danish style of Eurosong. Why now?

I thought the style was tiresome already back in "Twist of Love" was a typical song written only for Eurovision and with no chance of a life outside the contest. "All Night Long" was even more tedious but made it to the final anyway. This year, for me, at least felt a little bit more real and enjoyable.

It does seem to follow the Danish pattern, though. Find a formula, stick to it for years, and when it seems to be working its best then suddenly the whole thing collapses. Denmark did the same after their last victory - two years later their package didn't work and flunked mercilessly in 2002.

Just like "Haba Haba" in 2011, this song feels like it is too long. By the end it just keeps going and going, and maybe Denmark is in for a bad surprise. It's been a long time since they last failed in a semi final.

I still think the risk is even greater for another country that grew used to doing well. Unless Greece can work up a close to life-threatening amount of radiation, their ballad should be in real danger of elimination. Maybe both Greece and Denmark will have a sweaty night before the tenth envelope has been opened in the first semi.



Malene - Tell Me Who You Are (Denmark 2002)

King Loïc of Belgium

Today the rehearsals started in Vienna and I decided to pull the same stunt as I've done for the last two years, following the contest from home instead of on location: I don't watch rehearsal videos.

However, I had to make a tiny exception to see what Team Belgium were up to. Some reports said their rehearsal was very good, some said it was very shaky. Business as usual, first rehearsal reports often reflect expectation more than actual performance.

Also - a first rehearsal is just that. A first encounter with the cameras, where angles are more important than perfect notes.

A thirty second clip with no real camera work doesn't leave any substantial clues at what the song will be like, but I choose to think Loïc will impress come Tuesday and the first semi.

He's growing on me more and more, this young talent. So creative, so bursting full of ideas. I was really knocked over by the really arty dance performance clip to his Eurovision entry that he not only starred in but also directed and designed the outfits for. Wow.

Unfortunately, Eurovision isn't always the best place for talent like that. If you are too ambitious people might snigger and make fun of you. Who does he think he is and that line of thinking.

I think he's the king, arguably the most promising and intriguing performer of all forty acts this year. I'm very much looking forward to what he will come up with in the future.

And I'm also waiting for Europe to make sense and vote Belgium into the final on May 19.



Loïc Nottet - Rhythm Inside Official Dance Clip (Belgium 2015)

All my 2015 reviews in one place

The deed is done - I reviewed all of this year's forty Eurovision hopefuls on the basis of their preview versions. One song per day for forty days - in some cases I already had time to change my mind a little bit.

My most read review so far is Sweden and if you think that is any indication as to how the final result will be, let me tell you the second most read post is the one about Finland. But it was a nice theory.

If you missed something, here they all are gathered in the same place. I'd love to see your comments while I turn my attention towards the preparations and rehearsals starting in Vienna.

Semi 1
Moldova, Armenia, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Greece, Estonia, FYR Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, Belarus, Russia, Denmark, Albania, Romania, Georgia

Semi 2
Lithuania, Ireland, San Marino, Montenegro, Malta, Norway, Portugal, Czech republic, Israel, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovenia, Poland

Final
Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom

Finalist: United Kingdom

When the mighty and powerful finally fall it won't be pretty. It will be merciless and brutal. And nobody had a higher fall than the UK.

They have the most impressive string of placings any country has ever had in the ESC. They have made top two on no less than twenty occasions. It means they have won or ended in second place in every third contest to date if we include Vienna.

The last time it happened was in 1998 - brace yourselves but it will soon be twenty years ago - and since then the BBC lost their path in the most spectacular way and placed among the ten best only twice in the last fifteen years.

This year's effort looked like a tremendous fiasco already from the word go. The initial public reaction was negative - to use a real under-statement - and the press ripped it to shreds, labelling it the worst UK entry to date.

Let's be honest about things. It's really quite far from the being the worst UK entry. It is however a novelty song, quite far removed from any musical trends going on now, performed by a new act nobody had heard of prior to their selection. Easy to rip to shreds in other words.

But it's also a fun, happy, uplifting, whimsical uptempo number among far too many slow songs that the audience won't be able to tell apart, and that alone could do it a big favour in the end.

A potential winner:
No, far from, but given the polished and convincing performance the little voices in my head keep suggesting it will lack, this could score surprisingly well in the end. First top ten since Jade Ewen? Not impossible.

My grade: 3/5



Electro Velvet - Still In Love With You (United Kingdom 2015)

Finalist: Spain

If my memory doesn't deceive me, I wasn't too impressed in 2013 when Georgia called last year's winner Thomas G:son and asked him to write them a hit.

I liked the song but thought it was the cheapest of tricks in the book to play a safe card like that instead of trying to produce something of your own. And playing it safe seldom brought anyone victory in the end.

Spain will see that the same applies to them when they enter a song written by G:son. It is already his third Spanish entry, so maybe he has developed special ties to the recording industry over there.

But this time I can't shake the feeling that also Spain ordered a hit the way Georgia did and this particular piece - although atmospheric and catchy - feels far too much like a calculated re-hash of things previously heard to be taken seriously.

Also it doesn't develop much. It stands still in its place without ever reaching any climax, making three minutes feel slightly longer than they really are.

A potential winner?
No. And that's probably what RTVE wants as well: a song the fans will like and that doesn't run the risk of forcing them to take on this event next year.

My grade: 3/5



Edurne - Amanecer (Spain 2015)

Finalist: Italy

Three charming young men with a rousing ballad - mixing pop music and opera - that won the Sanremo festival by a landslide. Is that this year's winner?

It's not impossible at all. In fact, it is even pretty likely. The only thing that seems to talk against it is that opera never did well at the ESC before.

We have heard more traditional approaches to opera as well as operetta (especially in the early days of the contest but also from France 2011) as well as more pop-based attempts with operatic ornaments, like Sweden 2009.

Arguably Italy provided the best popera entry ever in the history of the ESC in the form of the magnificent "Fiumi di parole" from 1997. The 4th place of that particular song was a bit disappointing back then but it also shows that operatic notes can have a wider appeal as long as they are delivered in an attractive manner.

These boys surely deliver and come across as very likeable. My guess is several people will vote for them just because they are adorable, not even paying attention to their song. The question is if these can counterbalance for the people who break out in a rash as soon as they sense a pop aria coming on.

Personally I like it better before it breaks into the opera register - those verses are gorgeous - but can't deny this is a most effective and catchy belter.

A potential winner:
Yes. Alongside Australia and Sweden the most likely winner. Without saying too much, I still secretly hope RAI got their organisation skills together since 1991.

My grade: 4/5



Il Volo - Grande amore (Italy 2015)